Different mechanisms of arsenic related signaling in cellular proliferation, apoptosis and neo-plastic transformation

Arsenic is a toxic heavy metal vastly dispersed all over the earth crust. It manifests several major adverse health issues to millions of arsenic exposed populations. Arsenic is associated with different types of cancer, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, hypertension and many other diseases. On the contrary, arsenic (arsenic trioxide, As₂O₃) is used as a chemotherapeutic agent in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia. Balance between arsenic induced cellular proliferations and apoptosis finally decide the outcome of its transformation rate. Arsenic propagates signals via cellular and nuclear pathways depending upon the chemical nature, and metabolic-fates of the arsenical compounds. Arsenic toxicity is propagated via ROS induced stress to DNA-repair mechanism and mitochondrial stability in the cell. ROS induced alteration in p53 regulation and some mitogen/ oncogenic functions determine the transformation outcome influencing cyclin-cdk complexes. Growth factor regulator proteins such as c-Jun, c-fos and c-myc are influenced by chronic arsenic exposure. In this review we have delineated arsenic induced ROS regulations of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), NF-ĸβ, MAP kinase, matrix-metalloproteinases (MMPs). The role of these signaling molecules has been discussed in relation to cellular apoptosis, cellular proliferation and neoplastic transformation. The arsenic stimulated pathways which help in proliferation and neoplastic transformation ultimately resulted in cancer manifestation whereas apoptotic pathways inhibited carcinogenesis. Therapeutic strategies against arsenic should be designed taking into account all these factors.